Control pad makes it easy to accidentally skip tracks. Companion app is clunky.

Bottom Line

The 1More MK802 is a comfortable pair of Bluetooth headphones with solid sound quality and adjustable bass response.

1More's MK802 Bluetooth headphones exist in a price range that sits right between budget-friendly models and higher-priced luxury options. At $149.99, the MK802 deliver vibrant, robust audio performance, complete with bass response, ranging from barely there to super-boosted. The headphones are comfortable and ship with a cable for passive listening, but there are some minor annoyances, mostly involving a companion app that doesn't do much and some so-so design decisions. Regardless, the MK802 is certainly worth considering if you like to have control over the amount of bass you're hearing.

DesignThe circumaural (over-the-ear) design of the MK802 offers a snug, comfortable fit, with ample padding on the ears and a rubberized, soft underside to the headband. Available in blue or red, with a "synthetic titanium" surface that has a metallic sheen, but an almost rubber-like feel, the headphones consist of two earcups, which slide up and down on adjusters attached to the stationary headband. Though it doesn't move at all itself, the headband has a twistable, bendable form, making the frame more and easier to pack.

The right earcup houses controls for power, volume (which also control track navigation), and playback/call management. The volume controls work independently of, not in conjunction with, your mobile device's volume levels. The decision to combine the volume and track navigation controls is not unique to the MK802, but we're not fans of this trend—it's far too easy to accidentally skip a track when you only intend to make it louder. There's also a button that works with the 1More app—more on that in a moment.

A switch that increases or decreases bass response is located on the left earcup. It has three modes, ranging from nearly flat to very intense. We'll discuss how this affects sound quality in the Performance section.

The headphones ship with a micro USB cable (which connects to the left earcup) and a detachable audio cable (which connects to the right). An inline three-button remote has dedicated volume control buttons, and a central multifunction button that handles playback, track and call management. (Too bad 1More didn't use the same control panel design on the headphones themselves.) It's also worth noting the inline volume controls do not work with iOS devices.

The MK802 ships with a large drawstring protective pouch (the headphones do not fold down in any manner), as well as the aforementioned cables.

1More estimates battery life to be roughly 15 hours of music playback, but your results will vary with your volume levels. (Connecting the audio cable automatically disables the battery.) One unfortunate fact: The headphones don't automatically power down after a long period of inactivity, and it's easy to forget and kill some battery life. A good way to avoid this would be to always store them with the cable attached.

As mentioned, the MK802 works with a free app from 1More, though it isn't necessary to install the app to use the headphones. The app a hearing protection listening and a way to trigger other apps (like Instagram or Skype) or functions (like your phone's camera) using the headphone's app button. That said, the app is fairly clunky and we can't really recommend it for regular use—operating the headphones manually via the cable or the on-ear controls is a much more intuitive, seamless process. However, there is a function in the app that puts the headphones through a burn-in process to get optimal performance from the drivers, which you may find useful.

PerformanceOn tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the MK802 delivers a solid response. In flat bass mode, at top volume levels (which are not as loud as most other headphones get, but still unwise to use as your main listening levels), the drivers don't distort, and at more moderate volumes, you get a strong sense of bass depth, but it's balanced out with a heavy dose of high-mids and highs. This is a crisp sound with some robust underlying bass. Flip the switch into extra bass mode, however, and things change dramatically. Now the lows are running the show—there's still a semblance of balance, but the bass response is far more powerful.

Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the MK802's overall sound signature. The drums on this track can often sound unnaturally heavy on headphones that boost the bass too much. Through the MK802 in the decreased bass mode, the drums sound almost too thin, a gentle tapping rather than a thumping. Flip the switch to maximum, and you have a very strong drum sound—not so thunderous as to sound unnatural, but there's far more heft in this mode. Callahan's baritone vocals also get some added richness, while the crisp treble sound is present in both modes. This makes it easy to argue for listening with the bass turned up, as the overall sound signature sounds more vibrant and robust without the highs shrinking into the background. However, we suggest the setting the switch in between flat and maximum—it boosts the lows without things getting too intense.

So, moving forward in the middle setting for bass, on Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives plenty of high-mid presence, giving its attack the sharp edge it needs to slice through the layers of the mix. It's the drum loop's sustain we hear more of, though, in the form of a thick thump. The bass synth hits that punctuate the beat sound powerful, but not overwhelmingly so—we've heard them sound far more intense through overly boosted headphones before. The solid presence allows the vocals to float over this dense mix cleanly, although at times the high-mids and highs seem almost too boosted and sibilance becomes noticeable.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, sound ideal with the bass dialed into the middle setting. The lower register instrumentation receives a moderate boosting, while the higher register strings, brass, and vocals are a bright, clear presence.

The bass switch also works in passive mode, and the MK802's sound signature remains quite similar when listening through the cable, though its volume decreases noticeably.

ConclusionsThere's plenty to like about the 1More MK802—but the ability to fine-tune bass response is the main attraction. Generally speaking, the sound signature is nicely balanced, though the highs can often seem too bright and sculpted. If you're looking for a comfortable Bluetooth headphone pair in this price range that has a little less sculpting going on in the highs, we're fans of the Urbanears Active Hellas and the Sony MDR-ZX770BT. If you have a lot more room in your budget, the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless is fantastic. And if you're looking to spend less, check out the Jabra Move Wireless.

1More MK802

1More MK802

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